African Health OER Network: Micronutrient Malnutrition Module Guide

This module, Micronutrient Malnutrition, aims to equip Public Health professionals with sufficient knowledge of micronutrients to recognise and address the problem of micronutrient deficiency at a community and population level. The module concentrates on four micronutrients, i.e. vitamin A, iron, iodine and zinc that are considered critical to Public Health, particularly in developing country contexts.

The module sets out a strategy for responding to micronutrient deficiency problems using the UNICEF Conceptual Framework to analyse the range of possible causes, and then the Triple A model to guide programme design.  Some generic skills relating to programme design are explored, including advocacy, monitoring and evaluation, and three key intervention approaches are presented – namely micronutrient supplementation, food fortification and dietary diversification. A number of case studies demonstrating best practice in micronutrient interventions are provided.

There are three units in the module: the first one equips you with technical information about micronutrients – their characteristics and effects. This information may be fairly familiar to those of you with a nutrition background, so some of you may be able to work quickly through this unit. The second unit concentrates on the planning of micronutrient programmes, and includes two key aspects of programming – namely intervention at policy level through advocacy, and programme monitoring and evaluation. The third unit consolidates the process of effective programme design in the field of micronutrient control, and presents three key approaches to addressing deficiency at population level, namely supplementation, food fortification and dietary diversification.

Authors: Ernie Kunneke, Rina Swart, Lucy Alexander

Institutions: University of Western Cape